Forward and back
by SeSeesaw
Summary: Sam's new job doesn't go down well. Sequel to Onwards and Upwards.


Forward and Back

By Seesaw

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

SEQUEL: to onwards and upwards

RATING: PG-13, little bit of swearing

AUTHORS NOTES: Want to thank any and all for the feedback. You'd probable understand the story better if you read Onward and Upward first. So this is the sequel, hope you enjoy it and sorry if its crap and yes I do know that my spelling is atrocious. Sorry about that too.

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God he was bored! Ever since he transferred out of Sg-1 he only ever got to go off world to baby-sit scientists. He was currently standing guard for Jonas and Daniel while they played in the dirt. The remainder of Sg-1, Teal'c and the new C.O Colonel Thomas were off somewhere training rebel Jaffa.

Turning away from the two scientists who looked suspiciously like they were arguing, Jack gave up his pretence of standing guard and went in search of some shade. Dropping his pack and then himself at the base of a near by tree, Jack removed his sunglasses. There was absolutely nothing on this planet that could harm them. Unless of course you were to trip and break a leg. Eyeing the two men once again playing happily in the mud, this was entirely possible with those two. Deciding to leave the faith of their limbs to the Gods (the real ones) Jack let his mind wander.

The planet wasn't so bad really. There were trees (of course!), some flora and fauna, and all this was bathed in late summer sun. Or at least what he considered late summer sun. Lately however Jack noticed he was becoming restless. Something in his life, he begrudgingly admitted, was missing. If he was truly happy he wouldn't feel the need to spend so much time on base or be wishing something, ANYTHING would happen on this mission. He wasn't unhappy though, he knew that much. He had a beautiful 11 month old son, Michael. He couldn't believe he was almost a year old already. He was a miracle in his life. Never had Jack dared to hope he would be a father again. There was Nicole, his wife. She was beautiful, warm, gentle and loving and yeah he might not love her in the LOVE sense but she was one of his closest friends, especially since Sam went……

Damn! He wasn't supposed to think about her. He had spent way too much time thinking about her already. Black Ops. Even the thought of it made him shudder, none of his finest memories sprang to mind. He knew that something was wrong when she didn't ring him back on her Birthday. Even if she didn't want to, even if it would have been horribly strained she still would have rung back, out of politeness , if nothing else ( especially after he left a 4th message). And so he had spent the best part of 3 days with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach until he could take it no more and had demanded that Daniel unbury himself from his books and go round to her house. But Daniel didn't find her. In fact he had informed Jack over the phone that it had looked very much like she had packed and locked down her house for the long term.

Three days he had waited before he sent Daniel. If it had only been two they might of gotten to her but by the time he had flown home early from his honeymoon (leaving a very disgruntled wife behind), traced the last number Sam had called. Pinpointing it to some training facility and had flown there, Sam had already left. While they were in Utah in the middle of nowhere she was back at the SGC gating out to the Tok'ra. General Hammond had informed them of the rest of the details when they eventually made it back to the SGC. A day, they had missed her by a day. Jack felt the now familiar frustration bubble up to the surface and he was tempted to throw the small rock his restless fingers had found for him to play with. Anything would be better than Black Ops, even if it meant he'd never see her again. Black ops would make her hard, would kill her enthusiasm and she'd become just like he had, hollow.

He still couldn't understand it, couldn't phantom why she left. She should have talked to him, to anyone about it. But he had been too busy with his new son, making sure he'd never lose him, that he had lost her instead. He has seen her pain at his wedding, had felt it too. Seen her hurt when Daniel dismissed her, had known too that she wouldn't get command of Sg-1. It was Carter though, she was always strong, she'd be fine or so he had thought. In truth he didn't care, all would be forgiven if she came back. He wanted the giddy excitement that life with her by his side offered. Scrubbing a hand through his hair Jack decided he'd spent too much time in the sun. Two days was more then enough time for Jonas and Daniel to be done, it was time to get a move on. Pushing himself to his feet and picking up his heavy pack he sauntered over to the make shift campsite and began to pack up the tents. That done he gathered his two over eager charges and headed out for the stargate.

Another staff blast hit the roof above Sam's head raining a shower of debris down on her. Using her body to shield her teammate, Captain Nick Jones from the shower Sam waited for Major Ben Doyle to arrive. They had been on a mission to retrieve information from an outpost of Yu's. It had not gone well. A battalion of Jaffa had killed Lt. Andy Ford and Jones had received a staff blast to the chest. Out of the dust filled gloom of the small temple Sam could make out the loping figure of Ben making his way over to her. Dropping to his knees when he reached her he stared at the bloody and torn uniform of Jones.

"He alive?"

"Just about. Needs serious medical attention, and fast"

"There's not a chance in hell we can treat him with so little supplies back at base camp." Replied Ben with a frown of worry creasing his brow.

"Dial P3X490, there's an Sg team there on research. They'll have a GDO. They'll get him to the infirmary"

Ben's head snapped up in surprise,

"You can't be serious, O'Neill's on that planet, he'll….."

Sam interrupted him mid sentence,

"You want him to die?"

A slight shake of his head was all the answer Sam needed.

"You dial it up, I'll lay down cover fire."

At last the gate loomed into sight, he felt like it was days since they had set off for it. Maybe it was the sun or the stiffness of his legs from crawling around on the ground for two days but Daniel was glad to be heading home. Jack was leading the way. He remained silent for the journey. A worrying trend Daniel had noticed. Not that Jack was a talkative man but he should have made at least a wise crack or two by now. Jonas was quite happily taking up the rear, occasionally making small talk. Daniel liked the guy, even it he was a bit too cheerful sometimes. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jonas speed up and all but skip up to the DHD. Daniel rolled his eyes and was pleased to see a smile tug at Jacks lips. Raising his eyes to the stargate he watched as the first chevron locked.

"Ahhhhhhh guys"

Jonas' worried voice caused Daniel to turn to him

"I didn't do that"

Another chevron locked and Jack sprang into action.

"Take cover now! Daniel take Jonas"

He himself crouched down by the DHD as Daniel dragged Jonas off to dump themselves in a shrub at the out skirts of the near by woods. By then the gate had engaged and the event horizon threw itself forward before being dragged back. It's sliver blue surface shimmered and two unknown men stepped out. They were dressed in what looked like Black Combat gear. One of the men was leaning heavily on the other and was bleeding badly from where he was quite obviously hit by a staff weapon. He was dragged forward down the steps of the stargate and gently laid on the ground by his comrade, who completely ignored the Colonel and his raised gun. Instead he turned his gaze on the event horizon.

Daniel following his gaze and saw the tall form of a woman step through the gate before it died. Daniel held his breath and time stood still. From beside him he heard Jonas splutter "Sam" and then he was on his feet sprinting over to her before Daniel had time to blink. By the time Sam had reached the bottom step Jonas was by her side and had enveloped her in a bear hug the likes of which Daniel had never seen. Lifting himself from the shrub he was lying in Daniel made his way over to his lost friend. On his way he cast a glance at Jack, unsurprised to see a mixture of shock and relief written across his face. Even Jack couldn't clamp down on the emotions Sam's reappearance evoked. By the time he had reached them Jonas had released Sam from his death like grip and was instead grinning inanely.

"I thought you were dead, we all did." Jonas' bewildered voice spoke for them all.

"Not quite gone yet Jonas and its good to see you too", Sam returned his grin with one of her own. God how Daniel had missed that smile.

"I'm glad we caught you, we need your help." Sam was done with small talk and had moved onto business.

The last part of this was directed at Jack. He blinked as though only releasing now someone was talking to him. Still his only response was to raise an eyebrow, the ability to talk seeming beyond him.

"Jones is shot up pretty bad and we don't have the resources to help him. If you can get him to the infirmary General Hardy will authorise everything. You can find him at the Pentagon."

All eyes turned on Jack. He seemed to consider it for a moment until a moan from the hurt man answered the question for him.

"Sure thing Carter." He drawled, no emotion in his voice.

"Thanks Colonel, I owe you one" Sam added somewhat flippantly.

Turing to her uninjured team mate they began a short and hushed conversation.

"Someone will come get him when he's up and about, sorry I have to cut the reunion short but I've gotta go. Doyle dial her up."

Daniel couldn't believe she was going again, they had only just found her.

"You can't go, what about us? Where are you going? Sam………." He trailed off, unable to articulate his chaotic thoughts.

"Sorry Daniel, job to do." And with that she turned her back on him and faced the newly forming wormhole.

"Move out Doyle, Jones is in good hands."

But before Sam could follow him Jack's hand shot out and grabbed her.

"NO!"

"Excuse me!"

"I'm not letting you go Carter."

"Well you can hardly make me stay." Anger flared in Sam's eyes.

There was no way Jack was going to win this argument but before he could intervene Jack removed his hand from her shoulder and calmly stated,

"Fine, I'm coming with you."

Once again Daniel's jaw dropped open.

"You can't go Jack, not you as well."

This was too much, first he comes back, the Sam disappears and now he was supposed to stand by and let Jack go too.

Jack turned to him as Sam once again turned away to speak to her team mate.

"Daniel if I don't go we'll never find her again unless she's dead."

Daniel glanced at Sam as she strode towards the now activated gate. Jack was right, if they wanted to get her back he had to follow her. Jack would come back, he had a family to return to, but then Daniel thought that Sam would always return to them, her family, too.

"Go." He muttered. "Bring her home Jack"

Jack jogged quickly after Sam so as not to be left behind. All three disappeared and Daniel was left to help bring an injured man to earth and explain it all to the General. Great!

"We better move out Jonas." with a nod of his head at the man laid on the ground "he doesn't look the May West"

Jonas paused in his dialling and a puzzled look crossed his face.

"Never mind Jonas"

Lifting one arm of the injured man over his head he waited till Jonas did the same on the opposite side. Slowly they made their way up the steps.

Daniel couldn't help but mutter dejectedly. "This is gonna be a long debriefing." Before letting the cold of the Stargate take him.

Stepping through the wormhole Jack shook off the now familiar chill of gate travel, he raised his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sun. The Stargate stood in a vast meadow of long swaying grass that spread out as far as the eye could see. A few hundred meters in the distance Jack could just make out the tops of about 5 large tents. It was in this direction that Carter and her companion now quickly walked. Jogging in order to catch up Jack slipped into step with the pair. Carter appeared busy talking to an unknown voice on her radio so he turned his attention to her team-mate. The man she called Doyle, was about 6 foot with raven black hair and intense green eyes. His build was that of a strong but lean man, most likely from years of hard training. He looked to be in his early 40's. Breaking the silence he asked,

"So we going to see your CO?"

A rueful smile appeared on the other mans lips,

"Not really, me and Sam more or less run the show"

Jack tried to not let the surprise show on his face that Carter had risen to command so fast. He really should have known.

"Don't get me wrong, they sent a couple of Colonels out here at the start of the Op. But they had a nasty habit of getting themselves killed after a week or so."

Jack narrowed his eyes, was it just him or was that a veiled threat.

"Hell of a lot harder to kill me or Sam so they just kinda left it as it was" he continued his smile turning into one of pride.

They had now reached the perimeter of what Jack presumed was their base camp. It consisted of 5 large tents. The largest of which sat in the middle of the other four. Jack saw Sam make her way into this tent while a number of other men ran from one tent to another. Something was up. The man beside him stopped and turned to Jack.

"I'm Major Ben Doyle by the way" he held out his hand to Jack "You must be the infamous Colonel O'Neill"

Griping his hand and giving it a brief shake Jack made a poor attempt at a smile.

"Yeah, something like that"

Jack's eyes once again returned to the tent he had seen Sam disappear into, he asked

"So what's up, or do you guys always run around here like headless chickens?"

The Major shrugged his shoulders and turned to the tent Sam had entered,

"Lets go find out."

"They did WHAT!"

Sam couldn't believe it; she had specifically told Captain Ryan to only go after naquada, not anything bloody else.

"When I get my hands on that arrogant, stupid son of a…"

Ben entered the tent with the Colonel closely following behind interrupting her rant.

"What's up?"

"Ryan's after getting himself and his team caught in a firefight on Olanna. The idiot decided to try and swipe some of their weapons from a transport ship."

Turning to a young man beside her she asked,

"We have their last co-ordinates?"

"Yes Ma'am"

"How sure are we that they're still there."

"Last received contact indicated they were pinned down at those co-ordinates"

"So they're there or they're dead."

As much as she was loath to us the few resources she'd have to go save his sorry ass she'd do it.

"Right Lt. Allen, Capt. Smith gear up and grab some C4 while you're at it. Where's Dr. Larson?"

A voice from the back of the tent informed her "the lab tent" so she hurriedly made her way there.

The lab tent was a cross between an infirmary, a supply closet and store room for any new tech that was kept and it was where any and all tests where run on anything from machinery to soil. Dr. Helen Larson was in charge of all that mess and she was indeed in the tent. Intensely focusing on a machine, something Sam knew all about, she jumped in surprise as Sam's voice broke the quiet.

"How's the bomb going Doc?"

"O! Gosh Sam, didn't hear your come in" She paused slightly her eyes momentarily focusing on something behind Sam. Ben and O'Neill must still be following her but she didn't have time for either.

"Can you get it up and running for me in 10 and have it waiting at the gate."

A frown marred the ageing face of the doctor.

"You know if you didn't always rush me I'd have these things running much more efficiently"

"I don't need them running more efficiently, I just need them running"

"I know I know I've heard it all before haven't I. It'll be waiting for you by the gate"

Smiling her thanks Sam turned to the two men currently shadowing her.

"Ben, start the evac. We need to be out of here in under 7 hours."

"You sure you don't need me to come with."

"Nah I'll be fine, I need you to make sure these idiots don't forget anything."

"Play nice Major, I'll see you in five hours."

And with that he left, leaving her face to face with her ex CO for the first time in months. With Jones' injury and now this stunt Ryan pulled she hadn't really thought about him but one look in his eyes told of his anger and the many questions he wanted to ask.

"Go get your men Major, I'll still be here when you get back." He grunted.

There was no doubt that he would be but she had bigger things to focus on then the up coming confrontation with O'Neill, she was expected at the gate in two minuets.

Ben began the boring task of evac duty. Getting everything ready was very difficult and he would much rather be off with Sam then stuck here. But it was Sam who Ryan had disobeyed and her fight so he busied himself with idle tasks while waiting for her to return. It would be interesting to see how Ryan would be punished. He had disobeyed her orders before but this was the first time he had endangered other people's lives along the way. Sam would be pissed. She was very protective of people she worked with. With 3 out of the five tents down Ben wandered ideally over to the supply tent. He was surprised to find O'Neill routing around in it. Ben wasn't sure what to make of the man. He knew that he was an excellent solider and had worked in Black Ops himself. He also knew that he was Sam's former CO. He still didn't trust him, even if he did help Jones out. He had a sneaking suspicion he would try to take Sam away from them, away from him. Ben had given him free reign to wander around base camp but they would be gone soon so it didn't matter.

"You're pretty low on supplies," O'Neill said as way of breaking the silence.

He was right. They were seriously low on food and medical supplies. Recently they had taken to eating the local flora and fauna.

"Our last supply drop was missed" or make that four supply drops.

"Looks like they missed more then one " came O'Neill's reply as though he had read Ben's mind. But before the conversation could go much further Dr. Larson appeared at the tent flap.

"The gate just activated, reckin' Sam and the others are back."

By the time they reached the gate San and Ryan were already in a screaming match. Doing a quick head count Ben was glad to note everyone had returned safely and relatively unscathed. Although that might soon change with the way Ryan and Sam where going at it.

"I'm sick of taking orders from some know it all blond. You couldn't lead a boy scout troop in song."

"You will watch how you speak to a superior officer" Sam spat back.

"Superior officer… give me a break, you're a bloody waste of space. Probably slept you way up…"

But Ryan never got to finish his sentence. Sam had punched him, hard. He now sat on his ass, clutching his blooded nose.

"I'd stay down there if you know what's wise."

It looked however like Ryan was very far from wise and as Sam turned to go he spluttered,

"Or what?"

Ben had rarely seen Sam so mad or anyone else for that matter. She pulled her 9mil from its holster and let it dangle dangerously by her side.

"If you EVER endanger any of my men again you will regret it. Do you understand?"

"You don't have the balls Major, in every sense of the word."

Sam calmly raised her gun and clicked off the safety. Sparing a glance at Ryan, Ben couldn't help but note the fear flooding onto his face. A shot rang out and Ryan whimpered. The bullet had missed his head by a meter, but the treat remained clear. Next time she wouldn't miss. Turning quickly on heel she made her way to the 2 remaining tents. Ben lingered a moment as he waited for O'Neill to recover from what appeared to be shock and horror before following the group. Nobody helped Ryan up.

Twenty minuets later Ben found Sam at the back of the supply tent sitting on some of the empty crates. In front of her lay some of their merger medical supplies, cotton wool, disinfectant and plasters but she seemed too tired to tend the nasty gash on her forehead.

"Hey!" He spoke softly.

Sam lifted her head and Ben wasn't all that surprised to see tears in her eyes. She wasn't as hard as people thought. No matter how hard she tried she would never be an unfeeling hard-assed Black Ops. solider. The thought warmed his soul and he was glad that Sam would allow him to see this side of her.

" I shouldn't have lost it like that. Christ! I could have killed him." Her hands were still trembling and she dug her nails into the palms of her hands in a bid to still them.

Nodding his head Ben knelt down and picked up some cotton wool, allowing Sam to get it all off her chest.

"It just feels like its all been building up, you know. The supplies running low, no communication with headquarters, no supply drops, then Andy dying. I mean they told me we'd be working with the Tok'ra and we haven't seen them in months. It's just us and Ryan mouthing off was just the last straw."

During her rant, Ben had examined her face and was slowly cleaning the wound on her forehead. Throwing the wool aside and cutting the plasters into makeshift stitches, he tried to cheer her up.

"Well if you hadn't a done it, I certainly would have. No one can stand the guy. I know that it's been stressful Sam but you're going to be fine."

Looking up he made eye contact with her and as she allowed herself to smile.

"How's my head?" she queried.

Leaning forward slightly more, he carefully began applying the plasters.

"I shouldn't worry, you'll be as beautiful as ever in a week."

Without looking away from his work he knew she was blushing with embarrassment.

"You know word on the grape vine is that Dr. Larson took a swing at him last week."

The image of the small 70-year-old woman hitting Ryan was enough to lighten any mood. Sam giggled as Ben pulling back to see her smile, their eyes locked for a second. Their heads were so close, barely an inch apart but Sam quickly darted her eyes downward. Raising a hand Ben gently tucked some stray hair back behind her ear and she found his eyes again.

"Ahhhh…where's Colonel O'Neill" she asked hoping to break the silence.

He leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers.

"Gone to the gate to report to Hammond I think", he replied taking a moment to take in the sweet smell for her hair.

Sam raised her hand briefly to cup his cheek before pulling away completely and standing up.

"I better make sure he goes through before we leave so he won't know our location."

Barely nodding his head Ben reluctantly let her leave.

Jack sucked in a sharp breath of the cooling evening air. He wasn't meant to feel like this, wasn't allowed to. He had just seen Ben and Sam having a '_moment_'. Ben had brushed back one of Sam's bangs, just like he fingers had itched to do a thousand times before and she had returned the gesture. Had touched him back. Anger washed through him, the old reliable defence mechanism. Anger at the situation, that he still couldn't hold her, that she thought his heart belonged to another, to the woman he married because he had gottin her pregnant. Hearing footsteps behind him Jack once again clamped down on his emotions and turned to face the on comer.

"Hey Colonel, what did Hammond say?"

The answer, of course, was just another thing to make him angry.

"He wants me to return home, apparently they have some intel I need to know."

Knowing it was futile but unwilling to give up he added.

"Said you were welcome to come with Carter. What'd say? Hot showers, soft mattress, red Jell-O!"

She didn't respond like he had hoped, merely offering to walk him back to the gate. Understanding this could be the last time he spoke to her, it was now or never to find the answers to the questions that haunted him for the best part of a year. He quietly spoke,

"We miss you Sam."

She snorted

"What all two of you?"

Jack stopped walking and turned to her,

"Is that why you left, you thought we didn't care! Come on Carter if there was ever anything you could rely on, it was that people care for you, need you. Half the bloody base was looking for you when you up and left. People put their careers on the line for you."

His voice was rising as he spoke, his anger breaking the surface. She stopped beside him but didn't turn to look at him. Instead she just stared straight ahead a far off expression on her face.

"You abandon us and what, now you won't even acknowledge me, is that how little you give a damn about us, about me. Is that it?"

That got her back up, she snapped around, anger lighting up her features.

"I did NOT abandon ANYONE."

He didn't respond merely raised an eyebrow hoping his silence would prompt her. She exhaled deeply, the anger draining from her.

"Everyone else was moving on, changing and I was sick of being the same, sick of being stuck. The dutiful 2IC, the loyal best friend, always just there. Trapped in that mountain when everyone else could find a life, could move on but I was just trapped. I had to do something, I couldn't stay like that. I gave the SGC nearly seven years of my life, I owe them nothing, I owe you nothing."

"Did you have to do this though Sam? You know what Black Ops. can do to people. Why this?" lifting his hand in a swiping gesture to emphasise the point.

"Its where I belong now, its my home now."

"Your home is with us Sam, we're your family. Please come home."

"No! I can't go back, it hurts too much, I've changed too much. This is who I am."

Grabbing both her wrists he spun her and forced her eyes to lock with his.

"This isn't you Carter. You're not this person, you don't go around blowing up random ships, you don't threaten people with guns."

She was shaking her head trying not to hear his words.

"If this was you Sam you wouldn't have brought Jones to us, risked your cover to help him. If this really was you you would of just chalked him up to another casualty, you wouldn't feel so guilty over hitting that smart ass back there."

She pulled helplessly against his grip but he wouldn't let go.

"I know how it feels Carter. You can't sleep because you have nightmares and the tension and stress just keeps building and building, everything's about the next tactical move, the next calculated risk. And it never ends until it feels like it's going to swallow you whole. How long do you think before it gets to you, before you snap. I don't want to lose you Sam, not to that."

Finally freeing herself she whispered.

"People change Colonel."

"Don't let it change you Sam. I'll come back with a team. We'll bring all your men and gadgets home"

"Good luck finding us, we'll be outta here in an hour" she scoffed.

Desperation drove him as he grabbed her shoulders and shook her to get her full attention.

"Give me something here Carter, please."

The desperation must have shown on his face as she softened a little. She pulled herself to her full height, seeming to gain control on her emotions.

"In 3 weeks someone'll collect Jones. I'll go, I'll go back to get him."

"3 weeks."

She nodded. He could do 3 weeks. Letting go of her shoulders they made the rest of the journey to the gate in silence. He dialled Earth and sent the G.D.O signal, pausing on the top step as she called out to him.

"Colonel… Send Janet and Cassie my love."

He allowed himself a small smile, he knew she wouldn't let it break her. She was still his Sam.

This wasn't good, how did he always get talked into these things. Even Jonas had learned to wriggle out of it; he had spent far too much time ascending. Jack had arrived back just under an hour ago. After he got out of his physical Daniel would have to tell Jack Sam was being screwed her over by the top military brass, again. He was so not going to be happy. In fact he was going to be pissed and as much as Jack hated clichés it still wouldn't prevent him from shooting the messenger. Sinking deeper into his chair he waited silently with the General for Jack to arrive and the debriefing to begin. Ten minutes later with preliminaries through the General had handed over proceedings to him and now Jack sat opposite waiting expectantly.

"You remember that General Hardy Sam was on about, well Jonas and I thought we'd better let him know about Jones. It turns out that about four month's back he was dishonourably discharged from service. We couldn't find out any specific details only that one month after his discharge he disappeared."

"Dead?"

"Well nobody actually knows, no body was found. He could be on holidays in Hawaii for all we know"

"Get to the point Danny, what has this got to do with me being called back here."

"I am getting to that Jack," unable to stop his exasperated sigh "We got in contact with his replacement and he never heard of any Black Ops. mission. Apparently there's, no evidence of it ever taking place."

"Well that explains a few things."

"It does?" that was news to him.

"They haven't received supply drops in a couple of months. As far as I could find out they haven't received word from any command unit either."

"We pulled a few files from names Jones gave us. Pretty ruff crowd, most with discipline problems or Black Ops. experience and there are more then one or two black marks on their records. We reckin the top brass figured that they were better off with out them being around. Just leave them there to be picked off by the Gouald or the hunger."

"You're telling me they just abandoned them on some rock"

Not good he was getting angry.

"This Dr. Larson alone is a pretty dubious character, been known to sell bombs at the right price."

"But what about Carter. You wouldn't have a more spotless record if you tried."

"Price to pay for getting rid of the rest of them, I guess. We have got authorisation to go to the planet they're on and bring them back. If you just give us the address…"

"It's too late."

What! "What?"

"It's too late to go and get her"

Huh! The expression on his face must have given his confusion away because Jack clarified,

"They've moved their base to another planet. Sam wouldn't tell me where."

Turning to speak to the General he continued,

"General they're still following their orders. They have absolutely no back up if anything happens to them."

Shit, he didn't think they would have moved on already. How in the hell would they find Sam now? A thick silence fell on the room until Jack exclaimed rather loudly much to Daniel's surprise.

"Jones! Sam said she'd come to get Jones in 3 weeks."

"Well gentlemen there's little that we can do but pray they'll be alright, I'll do everything in my power to help them"

Daniel had faith in General Hammond's words. What else did he have.

And so they waited as the days slowly passed by. One week turned into two and two turned to three with no word from anyone. With everyday that Sam was overdue the tension level rose a notch on base, most noticeably in Jack. He took to prowling the gate room and only every went home to see his son. Until finally someone came through the gate with news, but it wasn't Sam.

"Jacob" Jack gave the man a brotherly hug "we weren't expecting you."

"We've some news for you, the Black Ops. team that was set up. The Tok'ra were lead to believe it was meant for a month, two at most. We haven't heard of them since until about three hours ago we received information that a Teltac was shot down by Annubis' death gliders. Before it was shot down the members of the crew identified themselves as a Major Sam Carter and Major Ben Doyle. We haven't been able to pinpoint which planet they crashed on, that region of space is heavily guarded. We need your help to find them."

An uncomfortable silence fell in which Jack shifted his weight from foot to foot and Daniel did hid best to look anywhere but at Jacob. Finally Jack braved the task at hand,

"We've been denied permission to look for them. All record of the Black Ops. mission was destroyed. The President won't give us the resources to go after something that's not there."

Jacob's jaw tightened threateningly.

"Are you telling me that if my daughter wants to stay alive she has to save herself even after all she's done for this country."

"That pretty much sums it up" came Jack's unhappy reply.

Daniel couldn't help but blurt out,

"I'm so sorry Sam"

&&&

Sam's body screamed at her to stop moving. She chose to ignore it and opened her lead-lined eyes. Pained flashed through her head as she scrunched her eyes shut. Refusing to be defeated she cracked open one eye slowly. The nose of the Teltac was buried in mud but the hull had survived the impact of the crash. She had to move, had to make sure Ben was ok. He was in the cargo bay when the death guilder had taken out their engines and effectively taken them out. Pushing herself off the pilot chair, her feet gave way under her weight and she hit the floor, the noise of her hitting the ground echoing around the quite ship. Not having the energy to stand she dragged her way towards the cargo bay, every bone and muscle in her body complaining all the way. Her head spun, and if she didn't focus she was nearly sure she'd throw up. After what felt like years and superhuman will she reached Ben. He lay flat on his back, not moving. Wearily lifting her hand she felt his neck for a pulse. A week flutter reassured her he was still alive. Releasing a sigh of relief Sam slumped to the ground, allowed the sweet oblivion of unconsciousness sweep her away.

&&&


End file.
